House told to discuss leave for VIPs

House told to discuss leave for VIPs

JAKARTA: Vice President Hamzah Haz has referred the issue of
whether or not the president and vice president should be allowed
to go on leave to the House of Representatives for consideration.

Asked whether the state's top two leaders needed to go on
leave, he referred to other countries that permit holidays for
their country's top political leaders.

"We better follow the practice if other countries are doing
so, but if (they do) not, of course we also won't follow it,"
Hamzah said.

But, he added, if one of them is on leave, the other will not
be allowed to do so to ensure the smooth running of the
administration. However, he noted that this would start with the
next set of leaders. "This is for the next leadership and not for
the incumbent," he said.

Hamzah was responding to a statement by President Megawati on
whether or not the president and vice president should take
leave. -- Antara